Chandamama Kathalu - Movie Review

An anthology film is a feature film consisting of several different short films, which are often tied together by a single theme or premise or brief interlocking event. It is said to be one of very difficult kind of genres of filmmaker and not many have dared to do one in Telugu so far. Praveen Sattaru has done it. Hats off to the young director for trying out a rare genre in Tollywood, which is known for masala entertainers.

Praveen Sattaru's latest directorial venture Chandamama Kathalu, which has released in theatres today (April 25), is an anthology film featuring eight stories. Praveen Sattaru is the hero here and his wonderful script, narration and dialogues are the main attractions in the film. The lead actors' performances, Mickey J Meyer's music and background score and Suresh Ragutu's cinematography are its other highlights. The slow-paced narration is one main drawback of the movie.

Taking inspiration from various Hindi movies, director Praveen Sattaru has created eight wonderful plots in Chandamama Kathalu that he has intertwined in a nice way. He has tried his best to establish each of these sub stories and every character in the first half, but he seems to have forgotten the pace of the narration, which is very slow and may test your patience. He has heightened the intensity of emotion quotient in second half, but has failed to elevate the essence of the film.

The eight sub-stories of Chandamama Kathalu deal with love and greed. One story is about a window, who is dejected lover, who is trying to reunite with her ex-boyfriend. Second one is about a model, who is betrayed by her husband. Third one is about a dotting dad, who is worried about his daughter battling chronic illness. Rest of the plots revolve around the stories of a greedy beggar, a street smart villager, a struggling bachelor and a lustful story. One should really watch the film to know how the director has interconnected all these stories.

Chandamama Kathalu has decent production elements and Mickey J Meyer's music is the main highlight in them. In fact, his background score helps the director to elevate several sentimental scenes in the second half. Suresh Ragutu's cinematography is another big strength of the film. Dharmendra Kakarala's editing is also good, but he should have trimmed some dragging scenes in the first half. Other technical departments have also delivered commendable jobs. Continue to read Chandamama Kathalu movie review in slideshow.

Lakshmi In Chandamama Kathalu

Lakshmi Manchu has played of a model in Chandamama Kathalu and she has done justice to her role. But the director has failed to etch out her character properly. He has failed to provide clarity on how she got addicted to alcohol and drugs.

Kishore In Chandamama Kathalu

The role of a writer is quite suitable for actor Kishore, who has delivered a good performance, which is one of the big assets of Chandamama Kathalu.

Krishnudu In Chandamama Kathalu

As a software engineer, Krishnudu has tried his best to do justice for his life, but his performance does not match the same roles that he has played in a his previous movies.

Krishneswara In Chandamama Kathalu

The role of a beggar is the soul of Chandamama Kathalu and the entire plot revolves around this character. Krishneswara Rao, who has played this role, has given a sterling performance.

Abhijeet And Richa In Chandamama Kathalu

As Ashraf, Abhijeet looks good and he has done justice to his role. Richa Panai has essayed the role of a Muslim girl named Haseena in Chandamama Kathalu. Her decent performance will impress the viewers.

Naresh And Aamani In Chandamama Kathalu

Naresh has delivered good performance, but has failed to impress with his eccentric slang. Aamani has also done her best. The chemistry between Naresh and Aamani is good in Chandamama Kathalu.

Naga And Amitha In Chandamama Kathalu

Naga Shourya and Amitha Rao have played the roles of Raghu and Gowri respectively and they have done justice to them. Their chemistry is good and it is a treat to watch on screen.

Chaitanya And Shamili In Chandamama Kathalu

Chaitanya Krishna and Shamili Agarwal appear as a pair named Raghu and Renu and they have lived up to the demands of their characters. Their chemistry is also good to watch on screen.

Supporting Cast In Chandamama Kathalu

Others like Vennela Kishore, Prithvi Raj, Kondavalasa and Surekha Vani have brief roles in Chandamama Kathalu and they have also done justice to their roles.

Chandamama Kathalu Verdict

Doing an anthology film is not an easy job. Considering this fact, Praveen Sattaru has done a brilliant job. Chandamama Kathalu is a wonderful movie, which has a few loopholes. This movie may not appeal to the mass audience, but the family audience will like it. Watch it and encourage the director.